Just because something looks good on the runway or in a magazine doesn’t necessarily mean it translates into day-to-day wear. Case in point: acid-wash jeans. Sure, they looked great on the popular musicians of the 80s, but it takes a confident man to walk around in them nowadays. And even then, that man would most likely be the subject of a few head tilts. Recently, the Men’s Health Style Team tackled the challenges of modernizing acid-wash jeans.

I’ve always wished I could get someone to break in my jeans for me (that, and stretch them when they’re fresh out of the dryer). With a few simple tricks and common household supplies, you can turn everyday denim into a pair that looks like you’ve lived in it for years.

How to do it:
1. Identify the places your jeans would naturally wear out first, such as the coin pocket, the back pocket, and, of course, the knees.2. While wearing the jeans, mark with a pencil or chalk where you want to create abrasions, then take them off and lay them flat on your work surface.3. Raise threads on the pocket seams by rubbing the grater back and forth over them several times (watch your fingers!).4. Next, rub the sandpaper over these spots until desired distressing is achieved, or try this method of removing the colored threads.5. To create knee holes, first place cardboard inside the leg so you don’t cut through to the other side of the jeans.6. Using the X-ACTO blade, make several horizontal slices, about 1/4 inch apart, across the knees (the more slices you make, the bigger the hole will be). Keep in mind that holes and frays will continue to get larger, so don’t go overboard.7. Use the sandpaper to raise fibers around the slits.8. Once your jeans are distressed in all the right places, toss them in the washer and dryer to make them look more natural. After one or two washes, your denim will look like your oldest (most perfectly worn-in) pair.